There are godless folks among us!
They are everywhere you look!
As they godlessly build houses,
Write, or knit, or paint, or cook!
There are godless in our prisons;
There are godless in our schools;
There are godless in our churches,
(Though it seems against the rules)
We may rarely hear their voices
Cos they’re not the type to shout;
Some are in their godless closet—
Others, quietly, are out.
Some are loath to join together
(It’s like herding cats, they say)
They may like their independence
Or may think a different way
So we never see the spectrum
Of the total godless range
Just the ones that love the limelight
So the picture’s somewhat strange
I would rather see the godless
As the godless really are
Every walk of life included
Every culture, near and far
So…
I’d like to hear from more of us—
From lots, would be my choice—
We’re extending invitations
If you’d like to add your voice
Writing an odd blog like mine, I get linked to from quite a variety of places, depending on what I am writing about. I wrote about knitting, for instance, and got linked to from Ravelry, a knitting-based forum. In particular, I got linked to from the atheists’ forum there. I wrote about something else (I forget), and got linked to from the atheists’ forum of a bodybuilding website. I’ve been linked to from foodie sites, by godless foodies, and from cephalopod aficionados (go figure). My point is, there are a lot of atheist voices out there who do not fit any of the various stereotypes of atheism (activist, SJW, dictionary, asshole, etc.); they are just who they are, and they also happen to be atheists.
When you think of atheists, apart from a small handful, you don’t immediately jump to “poet!” (or doggerelist, more accurately). But here I am. And I like it here.
But I would love to have some company, from other nontraditional atheist voices. Maybe you write about food, or about knitting, or anthropology or plumbing or veterinary science or community activism or just local event wherever you are, from Albania to Zimbabwe. And you happen to be an atheist, and every once in a while that matters. Consider joining us here at FtB; we are looking for new bloggers, and we are casting a wide net (as a cuttlefish, I find that metaphor a bit disturbing). The “About FtB” button at the top left of this page has all the information you need.
And yes, I am talking to *you*. And if you don’t, yourself, write (or podcast, web-comic, photoblog, or express yourself through live-streaming interpretive dance in public parks), perhaps you read other blogs you think might be a good fit here. I know I have, over the years, but at the time I wasn’t thinking of recruitment, and my memory is… well, they tell me it was the first thing to go.
In fairness, I should mention that application does not guarantee invitation, but I know for a fact that I am not the only one looking for increased representation by non-stereotypical atheists!
Oh, I just like to be able to hang ’round with you,
No time to read other blogs, there’s too much to do.
I write when it suits, when the urge is too strong
When things get too stupid, too nuts or too wrong.
I still have to work for a living, you know,
So thanks for the invite, but I really must go.
Do you accept high schoolers?
Good question, purrs– I don’t know of any a priori reason that would be a problem. Apply, if you like, and we can run it by our legal advisor.
Hello,
Is there any way that you all would reconsider bringing back Avicenna? His blog was the reason I first started visiting Freethoughtblogs. He offered a perspective that can’t be found anywhere else in the blogosphere. I loved reading his unique perspective.on atheism and also enjoyed his stories of his he went around the world helping people.
I get that he m messed up, but I think the punishment was to much. With his issues with WordPress over his slurry internet connection, it is doubtful that any of the so called “plagiarism” was intentional. There are actual corporate journalists who have kept their jobs after plagiarism incidents, and I guarantee that they weren’t treating acid burn victims, FGM victims, or injured protesters in third world countries.
When Avicenna was kicked out, the only people that were happy were the assholes of atheism, the misogynist idiots of the slymepit. They were out to get him from the start, and they just made up lies about him until something stuck. Bringing back Avi would send a strong message to those assholes.
I don’t know how much pull you have with the executive committee here, but before they bring on New bloggers, they realty should bring back Avi. Please talk to PZ about this.
BTW, I love your poetry! It is almost as awesome as Yemisi’s!
it is doubtful that any of the so called “plagiarism” was intentional
What, you think he accidentally hit cut and paste, pasting plagiarized blocks of text into the correct location in his postings?
@Marcus Ranum
Avi admitted that he was occasionally sloppy with attribution. However, in most of the examples of “plagiarism” he did try to tag the passages with block quotes and hyperlinks, and he had issues with WordPress and his intermittent internet connection in rural India.
Regardless, there are people like Fareed Zakariah that have done worse, yet they still keep their careers in journalism intact. Why can’t Avi get a break? He was a real life hero, in addition to his side Bobby of blogging. If anyone deserves a little forgiveness it is him.
In my internet-anonymity I am a radical atheist but in my meat-space life I generally avoid discussions of religion. The result is that I rarely know the religiosity of my acquantainces and they rarely know mine. Of the several groups of people I have been associated with over the years, one stands out as having the most people who are openly atheist… hikers. I’m not sure if this is universal or just happens to be true for the group of hikers I’m familiar with. For a while we even had a splinter group we called The Heathen Hikers.
As for blogging, I have tried several times to resurrect my blog Extreme Pedestrianism but I spend so much time reading and responding to everyone else’s blogs that I never have time for my own.